Parrot Nation

Let me clarify a few things about what this blog is and what it isn’t. I am a writer. And a researcher. And a volunteer. And a Fundraiser. I’m also a few other things such as a Flight Attendant, a Foodie and a lover of all things coming out of Cupertino, California. I love reading about restaurants and cooking, the fashion industry, (Not that you can tell by my attire) but I’m not real big on fiction. I think the “Zombie” thing is ridiculous and I don’t give a damn about vampires. I like my birds and I love to write. I also like learning.

One thing I’m not is closed-minded. I fly with all kinds of people and have to deal with all kinds of people; hundreds of them on a daily basis. It is not uncommon for me to interact with over four hundred people in a day. Do I like them all? No. But I have met some amazing people and I’m a better person for it. I’ve also met some real asshats.

And when it comes to Aviculture and what’s right and wrong is something I can’t even begin to pretend to understand. I am hoping this blog reflects that. You want an expert, get ahold of one. I have a very cautious and guarded opinion about the goings on in this world of birds because I simply don’t know enough to render a clear picture of how things work. and though this blog, I have been trying to make heads or tails of the issues facing “The Parrot Nation.”

My current foster parrot, Byron.

And I don’t always get it right. But then, I don’t think any of us do.

I’ve written about these issues before. Not everyone is clearly on one side or the other of this pro-rehoming-anti-breeder; Pro-breeder-anti-whatever struggle. I don’t know that much about the government passing restrictive laws, or the destruction of habitat And I can guarantee that if I don’t know very much about it, your average parrot family doesn’t either. But I can tell you this: Many of them visit this blog. So when you reply to a post and begin discussion, you are in effect teaching many people as well as teaching me.

There are so many issues to contend with. Each issue or “Side” has their supporters and detractors. Each matter seems so convoluted and involved with intertwining tentacles. It reminds me of the riddle of the cannibals and missionaries:

“Three cannibals and three missionaries must cross a river. Their boat can only hold two people. If the cannibals outnumber the missionaries, on either side of the river, the missionaries are in trouble (I won’t describe the results). Each missionary and each cannibal can row the boat. How can all six get across the river?”

Image found here: Tripadvisor

I’ve been working on trying to even understand what the issues are, let alone how to deal with them. So when I state that I don’t know what the answers are, I’m being entirely truthful. I’m still trying to understand where the issues lie.

I have some pretty basic wants. I know I sound so damned Rodney King, but I want us all to try and figure it out. I know this is a far-fetched want but I have hopes for it.

We’re never going to get it right because we’re doing something unnatural: We have wild animals in our homes. But now that they’re here, we have to learn to deal with it. We can’t put them back and most of us probably wouldn’t want to anyway.

We seem to be pulling ourselves into pieces.

I suppose I could make things nice and easy and not try and learn about them and then never discuss them here. Then I would be like the Mommy Bloggers who generally don’t discuss any hard-hitting issues other than the “Cloth-diapering vs Pampers” debate or an intense discussion about thumb sucking.

Yup. it’s King O!

I’m interested in posting issues with the hope that I can learn from the very people I’ve been learning from right from the beginning: The PN Bleaders. (Blog Readers.) I know how to clean a cage, and all the basics that go with good flock care. You do too. I try to be semi-entertaining but there are a lot of things going on in the field that are worth discussion.

I’m never going to pretend to have all of the answers. Why? I guess I’m still trying to figure out the questions.